John Witherspoon leaves one last laugh in hilarious YouTube video

Hours before he died, "Pops" posted his final comedy skit for fans explaining how to make 'Poor Man's Gumbo'

Dressed in an apron and a chef's toque blanche, John Witherspoon posted a 15-minute video to his YouTube, where he cooked what he called “Poor Man’ Gumbo.”

Dawn Onley

Nov 1, 2019

John Witherspoon had us rolling just hours before he died.

Witherspoon, 77, posted a 15-minute video to his YouTube channel on Oct. 28 cooking what he called “Poor Man’ Gumbo.” He wore little more than an apron and a chef’s toque blanche, and discussed how important it was to create a good roux.

He explained that his time in the kitchen was going to be a special occasion, as he dropped a little wisdom on us. Witherspoon aimed to show fans the difference between a gumbo for people with money, and those that can’t quite afford “shrimp and lobster… Alaskan King crab.”

Early on in the video, Witherspoon explained the reason why he hadn’t posted to his YouTube page in a year was that he had been working.

“Now I know I haven’t been here for a while, but I’ve been busy doing other things,” Witherspoon said in the clip. “We about to do the Boondocks, and we gonna do another Friday, but I’ve been around working on the road because I’ve been very, very busy and got a big schedule this year.”

He was in fact set to reprise his role as Mr. Jones in the cult classic Friday franchise. He was also due to return to The Boondocks, according to Deadline.

In the YouTube video, Witherspoon also discussed topics including homeless people, President Donald Trump and Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer sentenced to 10 years in prison for murdering Botham Jean.

But unfortunately, Witherspoon died on Tuesday, Oct. 29 in his Sherman Oaks, California home.

Witherspoon’s family has long called the actor and comedian “one of the hardest working men in show business.” In announcing his death, his wife and sons tweeted: “It is with deep sadness we have to tweet this, but our husband & father John Witherspoon has passed away. He was a Legend in the entertainment industry, and a father figure to all who watched him over the years. We love you “POPS” always & forever.”

It is with deep sadness we have to tweet this, but our husband & father John Witherspoon has passed away. He was a Legend in the entertainment industry, and a father figure to all who watched him over the years. We love you “POPS” always & forever.

– The Witherspoon Family pic.twitter.com/ov9P34kaMn

— John Witherspoon (@John_POPS_Spoon) October 30, 2019